Are you waiting for the E-levy killer tax to build the airport?—Navrongo MP to Upper East Regional Minister
Navrongo Central Constituency Member of Parliament Mr. Sampson Tangombu Chiragia has extended another interesting question to the Upper East Regional Mr. Yakubu Stephen. Apexnewsgh.com report The Navrongo Central legislator who had already registered some level of displeasure following the controversies and delay witnessed sofar in the much touted Upper East Regional airport from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the NDC MP is asking the Upper East Regional Minister ‘weather he is waiting for the E-levy killer tax to build the airport?’. However, Mr. Tangombu Chiragia has thrown a challenge to the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu to make himself available for a solid debate on what development they claimed the NPP government has provided for the region for the past 5 years. “Let him know am prepared to debate him. If he is a man who claimed there are development projects in the region, I will let everyone understand there was none in the region. I am ready to debate him. He should tell me the project government is bringing to the region and what they have done for the 5 years. “He shouldn’t be talking about the Tono Dam, the NDC started it. They should tell us the whole region. The Pwalungu Multi-purpose dam is lying down there, not even a wheelbarrow is there. We don’t know where the contractor is. So, is not about talking, is about what to do. He concluded However, the Member of Parliament is patiently waiting to engage the Upper East Regional Minister in what he described as developmental debate. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Tell us why no single person from Upper East is a cabinet Minister—Navrongo MP
The Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central Constituency Mr. Sampson Tangombu Chiragia has questioned the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu why out of 19 to 21 cabinet Ministers in Akufo-Addo’s administration no single person is representing the people of Upper East –Apexnewsgh.com Report According to Mr. Tangombu Chiragia: “This clearly shows that his none performing President who does not see Upper East Region as part of Ghana”. His question came after the regional minister had responded to his position on the 2022 budget where he complained that the budget could not even capture the controversial Upper East airport, which he believes is inconveniencing the people of the region and more especially he as a parliamentarian who always love to travel home every weekend. According to the Regional Minister in his response: “If an MP is in Accra, saying he wants to come home every weekend to see his constituents but because there is no airport he cannot come, I don’t think we should even vote for such Member of Parliament. However, the response by the Upper East Regional Minister has triggered the Navrongo Central Constituency legislator to throw another heavy wet question to the father of the region. “Why is it that we have almost 19 to 21 cabinet ministers and we have 16 regions, why is it that Upper East Region is not having even a cabinet minister? We don’t have a cabinet minister in Nana Addo’s government and he doesn’t regard us”. Navrongo MP asked “So, for that matter, who is going to carry issues across? He is the Regional Minister, his constituency is the region, my constituency is Navrongo Central, and his party is in power, and is their responsibility to do something for us, and he should not be dodging his responsibilities. “The last time, that was the same mistake he made, he said there were going to be airport located where? NO, he talked about the aerodrome which he said going to in Navrongo, that one is already known. What we are saying is that, before you can talk about the airport, where are you locating it? Where are you building it? You have not made the land preparation and you have 3 years to go and you are telling us you are going to get two airports when? We need the airport now. He insisted “Not about me coming home, I come home alright but what am saying is that I have business in Accra and definitely, I will close some times and run into the night. I can come and land in Tamale sometime with the last flight. If there were to be an airport in Upper East Region when i land i can even take a bicycle and go”. He explained “But here is the situation, how can you land in Tamale around 6:30 to 7:00 Pm then drive 3 to 4 hours before you get home? Then, that’s even better. When you are going back to Parliament and you want to go with last flight and you are leaving Upper East, it means you have to leave home around 4:00 Pm and if you are not lucky and get a breakdown on the road, what do you do? He shouldn’t run away from his responsibility. He knows very well I don’t have access to his Oldman who is there wasting our time, even he himself doesn’t have access to his old because he goes there, he can only talk to the Chief of Staff and comeback. He is not even regarded, he is only here to represent something. If he claimed he is a darling boy to the President he should make him a cabinet minister so that he can talk for Upper East. “Upper East is the only region we have, no one should be joking with the region that is our country and our capital, we come from there and we can never change”. “He should lead a legacy so that tomorrow, he can say he was a minister he was able to bring us airport. We don’t care where the airport is located, they can send it to Fumbisi, and they can send it to even Pwalungu it doesn’t matter anymore. He stressed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: Upper East Regional Minister responds to Navrongo MP- says Airport isn’t an excuse not to visit home often
The Upper East Regional has responded to the Navrongo Central Member of Parliament Sampson Tangombu Chiragia after he complained of wanting to come home every Friday but can’t due to the unavailability of an Airport in the region. Apexnewsgh.com reports According to the Navrongo Central Member of Parliament during an exclusive interview on the 2022 budget with Apexnewsgh.com, he said not even the controversial Upper East airport was captured in the 2022 Budget, which to him, he saw as very worrying especially with the difficulty the people of Upper East go through from Tamale before getting into the region. He appealed to the government to do something by starting the construction of the Airport for the people of the region. “As for this NPP budget, not even only constituency alone benefitted anything, I will say the whole region was neglected. If you look at the budget, there is nothing there for Upper East Region. We will continue to talk even our airport, is not easy driving from Tamale to Bolga at all”. He lamented He said MPs would always want to come back home every Friday to visit their constituents and return to Accra Monday but because there is no available airport for the region, it makes impossible. “We are saying that in fact, they should be able to do something in such that, we can also go home every Friday and come back on Monday. We don’t mind whichever part of the region they are putting the airport for us, even if they go and put it in Garu, it will still be better than going to Tamale and traveling all the way to Navrongo. However, reacting to the Navrongo MP, the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu said, if the MP cannot sacrifice for his people he doesn’t deserve their votes as an MP. “If an MP is in Accra, saying he wants to come home every weekend to see his constituents but because there is no airport he or she cannot come, I don’t think we should even vote for such Member of Parliament. Because such MP should be fighting for me and you to make sure there is an airport here. He should rather come back and sit in the region and those who are will fight for the airport will be allowed to go to parliament”. The Minister stated The Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu gave the rebuttal on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC). Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Breaking News: Upper East Region to get two airports, Regional Minister hints
The Upper East Region Minister Stephen Yakubu has hinted, that the people of the Upper East Region are going to witness the construction of two Airports in the region. Apexnewsgh.com report According to the Regional Minister Mr.Yakubu, the government will be offering two Airports to Upper East Region. He said these airports should be sited in Paga for the Military and Bolgatanga for the region. The Minister gave the hints on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC). Even though Regional Minister did not give any timeline for work to kick start on said airports, he said the committee setup to look into it have since submitted their reports. “My understanding is that there is going to be an airport built here and there is also going to be a Military airport in Paga. The thinking of the government is that it will help if we are moving soldiers from Tamale to here and that airport is there, you can move more troops there in case there is a problem with our boarding. So, they want to maintain that and also build a new one here”. He hinted “A committee was set and I think the committee had actually delivered their report. Personally what am doing is that I have discussed with the Minister for Transport and am bringing in some people who are building airports in Africa. I have already contacted them, I just need some information from the Ministry of Transport. The people are ready to come. He stressed The issue of Airport for the people of the Upper East Region in the past has become a controversial one among citizens themselves. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your adverts and credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
JUST IN: Bolgatanga Regional Hospital concessional loan facility of $20 million canceled govt looking for new sponsor–Regional Minister
The Upper East Region Minister Stephen Yakubu has revealed, that the signing of a concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia in 2019 for the completion of Bolgatanga Regional Hospital has been truncated. Apexnewsgh.com report The Regional Minister made the revelation on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC). BACKGROUND In September 2019, the Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at a press briefing in Techiman in the Bono East Region disclosed that the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital is expected to be completed in October 2020 following the signing of a concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also added that the repayment of the loan would start after 10 years of signing, and indicated it would take the government 20 years to defray the loan. He said 49 percent of the loan was a grant from the people of Saudi Arabia. He, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah further pointed that the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Vice Chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development, Mr. Khalid Alkhudairy, signed the agreement in Accra on behalf of their respective governments. However, since after the October 2020 deadline for the completion of the project per the agreement, it appears the people of the Upper East Region are not getting any vital information regarding the concessional loan facility of $20 million between the governments of Ghana and Saudi Arabia. However, addressing journalists at the annual press soiree when the question was the question was asked to the Regional Minister, He said: “Concerning the hospital, i have also been following it, but the Health Minister keeps telling me that the problem is that, the Saudi people are not interested in these logistic anymore. So, that USD 20 million that was secured in 2019, you know monies are secured sometime it takes certain processes and that process somewhere can be truncated and I think, that is what has happened”. “So, my understanding is that the Ministry is trying very hard to get another sponsor so that they can then go through the procurement processes very quickly to get our logistic here so that we can open our hospital. Any time I go to Accra, I find time to go to the Ministry of Health just to fight for this hospital. So hopefully, very soon we will get money to do that. “And sometimes, when we are taxing, when we are bringing in the E-Levy and when we are trying to bring taxes for all of us to contribute….Maybe, if you have our money we should have gone to buy our thing and put it there. But when the government is trying to raise revenue up again and you are saying you cannot do this and that and now we are the same people who are crying for the roads, who are crying for the hospital, who are crying for everything. So, where do we get the money to do all these nice things we all want to enjoy? The Regional Minister concluded Meanwhile, Works are expected to be completed in October 2020, paving the way for the full operation of the hospital for affordable and quality health care to the people in the Upper East Region and beyond, especially towns and communities in and around Bolgatanga. However, somewhere in April 2020, the Deputy Regional Communication Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sunday Casper Kampoli posted this question to the President on his Facebook wall following the then announcement of building 88 hospitals across the country within a period of 8 months. Below was Sunday Casper Kampoli full post: Nana Addo where is the $20million Saudi loan approved for the Phase II of Upper East regional hospital? So Nana Addo was at his Waterloo moment once again. In his 8th Covid 19 address he promised to build 88 district hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in the next 8 months, 7 of the district hospitals will be in the Upper East Region. Whilst it is welcoming and good to know that Nana Addo and Bawumia have suddenly woken up from their slumber to appreciate the importance of good health facilities and are trying to take steps to fulfill one of their numerous highfalutin 2016 campaign promises, we must remind them of the state of health care facilities in the Upper East Region and what we need at this point in time to fight Covid 19. Apparently, the erstwhile NDC in its resolve to provide every region with a state of the art Hospital started the expansion of the Upper East Regional Hospital to equip it with state of the art equipment to provide health care for the people of Upper East and its environs. When the expansion works are completed the Hospital will provide Dental, Pharmacy, accident and emergency care, E&T, Eye and Mental health, Public Health and Herbal medicine, Mortuary, Blood bank, X-Ray department, etc. The expansion works was to cost the nation $48 million- 85% to be funded by the Saudi Fund and GOG to fund the 15%. Before the NDC left power in January 2017, 85% of the infrastructural works were completed. Before the NDC led by H.E. John Dramani Mahama: the regime that secured the $12 million for the first phase, left government in January 2017, 85% of the Phase I works were completed. However, after Nana Addo and Bawumia took over the governance of the country they have not prioritize the project up till today. But on the 1st of March 2019, Parliament unanimously approved $20million loan from the Saudi Fund for the second phase of the Upper East Regional Hospital but a year on, the phase II of the expansion works which is the equipping of regional hospital has not started and the whereabouts of the $20million is not known. Is it true that the money has been diverted? If it
Yenyeya Mining Unhappy With Regional Minister’s Pronouncement of Sector Minister Coming ‘To Give Earl International Group More Soup to Eat Their Fufu’
The Upper East Regional Stephen Yakubu has assured officials of Shaanxi and now Earl International Group (GH) Gold Limited that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources visit to them, was to basically give them more soup to eat their fufu. Apexnewsgh.com reports A pronouncement that did not go well to the embattled Yeyenya Mining Enterprise who is currently having lots of issues with his colleague Chinese mining partner. Mr. Yakubu made the pronouncement to the Chinese officials at the Conference hall of Earl International Group (GH) Gold Limited on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, during the visit of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor. The Regional Minister who acknowledging the efforts of the Sector Minister told officials of Earl International Group (GH) Gold Limited that “…where we are today, is because of Honorable Sector minister’s help. And all the time, I keep telling you that we want the benefit as you also want the benefit”. However, officials of Yenyeya Mining Enterprise told Apexnewsgh.com that the Minister is supposed to be an arbitrator between them and Earl International but his pronouncement about the sector Minister’s coming to give more soup to Earl International to eat their fufu was shocking to them. “We all thank the Sector Minister for coming here to basically give you more soup to eat your fufu” However, the Regional Minister told Apexnews Gh that he is an arbiter who is trying to bring peace to the area. The Minister said, he only came in when all these agreements were ratified by parliament and those things has been done. “…but I am interested because of the jobs and also to make sure the two guys that are fighting, the agreement that they signed, they can go back to that agreement and then there will be peace and then all of them will meet each other and sort it out. That is why I come in with Mineral Commission. That’s all. So, if they have any problem, I have told them, you can go to the mineral Commission and resolved it, you can go to the minister and resolved it. But for me, what is on the table, I tried to make sure that the two of you don’t fight”. Mr. Yakubu said More to come Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: Acting PRO of Yenyeya Mining Enterprise Accused Upper East Reg. Minister of…
The Acting Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Yenyeya Mining Enterprise, a mining firm operating in the Gbane Community in Talensi District of the Upper East Region Jarvis Avoka has accused the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu of denying them (Yenyeya) the opportunity to addressed some concerns during the Sector Minister’s Visit to the region. Apexnewsgh.com reports The Sector Minister for Land and Natural resources Samual Abu Jinapor in a one-day visit to the Upper East Region mining site in Gbane community where he met with the officials of Earl International Group (GH) Gold Limited. However, his visit has brought some level of dissatisfaction to officials of Yenyeya Mining Enterprise who were not excited with the treatment offered them by the Regional Minister and some other concerns such as not receiving any formal letter regarding the visit of the Sector Minister. Yenyeya also described the Regional Minister’s action of leading the sector minister to the site in dispute as an illegality. “That morning, my boss informed me that the minister is coming and my worry was that, whether we were invited? NO. No one gave him any formal notice that the sector Minister was visiting. So, we just went there and sat. Then they said, the minister was coming at 12 pm. If you check my Facebook wall you will see that i made a post when I saw Earl International Group (GH) Gold Limited welcomes you Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and your entourage to our operation site Gbane that, “…the matter is in court. Lawyers for the Chinese prayed the court for an out-of-court settlement. The presiding judge granted this request. Discussions commenced with the Upper East Regional Minister as the key arbiter. …. This letter that the Minerals Commission wrote with the keyword “demobilize” was recently published… Today, the key arbiter is leading the Sector Minister to visit the same site amidst funfair to validate the illegality and arm-twist the two local small-scale mining license holders? ….. Impunity? Disregard for our laws and legal processes court authority?” Yenyeya Acting PRO Jarvis Avoka complained on his Facebook wall, the day of the Sector Minister’s visit to Gbane. He also raised another concern, that the Regional Minister who happens to be the arbitrator between them and the Chinese people denied officials of Yenyeya the opportunity to air their concerns during the visit of the sector minister, hence allowed officials of Earl International to make a presentation as they claimed, the 38 small scale miner involved have been settled and compensated and there were no issues on the ground. “When the Sector Minister came, he just addressed the house and said that he has no time to go round the facility as they initially planned because of time, he would want to go. So Maxwell Wooma made a Presentation and afterward, my boss (Charles) wanted to say something and the Regional Minister said, due to lack of time, he should rather come to the residency”. Jarvis told Apexnews Gh However, when Apexnewsgh.com contacted Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu on his part of the story he said, Mr. Charles Ndabon did not catch the eye of the Sector Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor. But he later realized that Mr. Ndabon wanted to say something and he quickly informed him to come to the RCC where the Sector Minister was supposed to meet with some other small-scale miners and that was when they were about leaving the site. “After going around Cardinal Resources, we were very tired. So, the Minister told me, we are going to spend only 15 minutes there. So, Maxwell, their PRO got up and introduced themselves, they even introduced Charles he was there and they introduced him and the Minister wanted to leave and then Maxwell begged and said he wanted to explain a few things to the sector minister. So, we all waited and Maxwell put up this thing and we all listen, after that when we are to go, Charles then wanted to ask a question and the Sector Minister didn’t catch his eye. So, I realized he wanted to ask a question, then I asked him to come to the RCC”. Responding to the issue of not giving formal notice to Yenyeya Mining Enterprise regarding the coming of the sector minister, the Minister said, is not his responsibility to inform the miners about the Sector minister’s visit and must not be blamed for that. He said that is the job of the Mineral Commission and Ministry. “Am i the one who is supposed to inform them? Is it not Mineral Commission? If the Ministry is coming to meet people, is it not the Ministry who should do all these things. So, wherever they heard and they came to the meeting what was wrong? If they didn’t catch the eye of the Minister and I signal him that, there is another meeting, that you can come there and ask your questions, why didn’t they come? Because I was only doing them a favor. I am very surprised, Charles should be the last person….Because this world is not a fair place, because when you are trying to do the right thing for people, people don’t like it that way. Because my brother, I brought these things on the table and before I came, none of these were on the table. Upper East Regional Minister responded More to come… Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
People of Upper East Region enemies of development, reasons why Upper West is ahead
:Written By Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Upper East is region blessed with wonderful places especially with lots of tourist attraction areas such as Paga crocodile pond, tono dam, pikworo slave camp, Upper east regional museum, tongo hill etc. But there is no doubt, is a region deprived of important developmental and social amenities such as Regional Airport, Regional Sports Stadium, Regional Hospital, Regional Passport Office, just to mention but few. It is becoming so worrying to its patriotic citizens who actually have started asking about the crime they have committed by voting and as well making recommendations for appointments for politicians from the region who will end up disappointing them by not using their positions and office to secure good developmental projects for the region they represent. According to the people of Upper East, a region that had the opportunity of having their own flesh and blood as the Ghana Minister for Youth and Sports under the NDC John Dramani Mahama administration, isn’t supposed to be crying for none availability of a Regional Sports Stadium in 2021, especially when such a big opportunity was missed by their own selves. Meanwhile, Upper West got their stadium with 5,000 capacity in 2006. And yet, just like ‘eve’ in the bible was created from the ribs of ‘Adam’ so was Upper West created from the ribs of Upper East. A region that had their own flesh and blood as the Ghana Aviation Minister during the first batch of President Akufo-Addo/Buwumia administration isn’t supposed to be crying for not having an airport in 2021, especially when such precious opportunity was used to play politics among the same beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the people of Upper West opened their airport for commercial flight operations in October 15, 2019 with service by Africa World Airlines from Accra via Tamale using an Embraer 145 regional jet. And yet, just like ‘eve’ in the bible was created from the ribs of ‘Adam’ so was Upper West created from the ribs of Upper East. As at the time of this publication, the people Upper East still risk their lives on a daily basis traveling to Tamale the Northern regional capital for their passport application and renewal. Meanwhile, the people of the Upper West Region commissioned their Passport Application Center (PAC) in 2020. This bringing the number of Passport Application Centers across the country to 13. And yet, just like ‘eve’ in the bible was created from the ribs of ‘Adam’ so was Upper West created from the ribs of Upper East. The Upper East Regional Hospital unlike other regions has become a political ring tone for the two main political parties NDC/NPP every election year. You will be amazed when listening to party communicators from both parties arguing on whose party contributed more than each other at the ongoing renovation work at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. Meanwhile, 160-bed capacity Upper West Regional Hospital was made open to the general public in January 9, 2020, even after a little delay. Because President Akufo Addo earlier commissioned the US$ 52 million facility in August 2019. And yet, just like ‘eve’ in the bible was created from the ribs of ‘Adam’ so was Upper West created from the ribs of Upper East. What could be cause for the Upper East set back on development? Tribalism/Discrimination, political slavery, greed, hatred, self centered, giving positions non patriotic individuals, ethnicity superiority, literacy superiority and above all disunity were all captured as the real cause of Upper East Region set back on development. Those given opportunities must start thinking outside the box: When Mr. B goes into the office and he decides to do the same thing Mr. A was doing before leaving the office then, Mr. B is not thinking ‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’. In the Upper East Region, it appears development from the two main political parties NDC and NPP are not seeing much light of the day due to the spectacle both big parties are putting on for the region and this is a contributing factor affecting development in the region. Those from the region appointed into positions of MMDAs, regional and national must start thinking outside the box as far as development in the region is concerned. What one could describe as ‘political slavery’ is another canker bedeviling the people of the Upper East Region in terms of developmental projects, unlike some other regions such as Upper West where the people cherished development irrespective of the political party one belongs to. For the National Democratic Congress (NDC), their mentality on the ground as far as Upper East Region is also not helping matters when its comes to development. Because their mentality that the people of the Region vote for NDC come rain come shine because Upper East Region is NDC stronghold and whether they campaign or not they will surely win. Such mentality, is not helping the region in terms of development. Below is a typical example. A piece of published evidence which was reported on a local radio station A1 radio somewhere in November 23, 2020 “IF WE DON’T CAMPAIGN IN UPPER EAST, WE WILL STILL WIN – NDC SECRETARY” “The Upper East Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Donatus Akamugre Atanga, has expressed confidence that his party remains solid in the region to secure the endorsement of voters in the upcoming December 7 general elections; even if they don’t campaign in the region. “According to Mr. Akamugre, though the Upper East Region is considered a stronghold of the NDC, their continuous campaign in the region was to show appreciation to the people of the region for their undying support to the party; and not necessarily to canvas for votes”. So, this mentality by a respected Party Regional Secretary, also confirmed why development isn’t coming as expected in the region and why those elected to represent their constituencies and the region decide to sleep on their jobs. After all, whether they brought development or not next election they will come and
Consider pro bono services for the people of the region–UER Minister to GBA
The Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu has made a request to the Ghana Bar Association to consider ‘pro bono’ for the people of the Upper East Region. Mr. Yakubu made the interesting request on behalf of the region during the 2021 Bar Conference organized in Bolgatanga on Monday, September 13, at the Fountain Gate Chapel International. Meanwhile, the Minister’s pro bono request to the GBA was as a result of the difficulty majority of citizens in the region go through before procuring legal services at market rates. He believes such intervention by Ghana Bar Association will be a huge relief to his people. “As a stop-gap measure, the Ghana Bar Association could consider pro bono services for the people of the region. There are many citizens who are poor and unable to procure legal services at market rates. Owing to this, they are unable to assert their rights and privileges in many areas of litigation. The Legal Aid Commission does always come to the rescue. However, the number of lawyers at the Commission leaves much to be desired”. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
3 communities, 34 households received house keys as relocation package in Tempani
The Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu with support from Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) has handed over a total number of 32 buildings to some households as part of the ongoing resettlement exercise in additiion with a clinic and church bringing the number to 34 buildings constructed by GIDA in the Tempani District of the Upper East Region. The benefitted communities are: Kugzua, Dagdiri Natenga and Anini Doari community in Tempani District. Nearly 115.6 hectares of farmlands at Tempane and its environs in the Upper East Region were submerged following a torrential rainfall that caused the Tamne Irrigation Dam and its major tributaries to overflow their banks. The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) Ing. Wilson Darkwah who doubles as the representative of the Agric Minister told Apexnews Gh that even though the journey has not been smooth due to some financial challenge, they have able to resettle most of the community members. Asking whether all the aggrieved affected community members will receive their share of newly constructed houses, Ing. Darkwah said “unfortunately, it is not possible for GIDA to build houses for everybody in this area. GIDA is a subverted organization and we only get a budget for constructing the dams but it so happens that where the water is going to sit, there are still people living there and we cannot leave those people”. “I am aware that people have fallen in love with the beautiful building and I want to encourage you that the contractor who build the houses has trained so many of the youth here, most of the labor he used to do these houses are from this area and therefore, they already had the technology to make these houses. “We thank you for allowing us to come and do this dam here and also giving us the opportunity to relocate those whose house will be relocated. Ing. Darkwah told Apexnews Gh However, Ing Jawad Adbul-Rakeeb General Manager Munisco LTD who was the contractor in charge of the construction of the resettled houses extended gratitude to community members especially the Dagdiri Natenga Chief. He admonished members of the community to desist from attacking those working on the project and rather support the wonderful initiative. “We want to express our gratitude to the community members and also to advice those of us who are in the community and instead of supporting the project, they will rather be finding ways to denigrate the project.” He said Meanwhile, after a short ceremony organized in Kugzua community, the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu handed over the keys of the buildings to the beneficiaries. “Our very hardworking Minister of Agric has promised that he is very much committed in making sure that the arable land which is the second phase after the rains, that he is going to develop all that area so that farmers will go there and continue the year-round farming and I think that is even the main problem apart helping the flooding area”. Hon. Yakubu said Even though affected areas include Zambala, Bugri, Gagbiri, Gaago, Kugzua, Gella-kolgo, Napaadi, Arazim, Kugri, Kolsabuilgu and Zulli, 3 out of these communities were able to benefit from the relocation project. However, benefitted community members expressed gratitude to the governance of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for what they described as a ‘dream come through project’ “we pray that any obstacle that might hinder your efficient work be broken long before materialization” “The community members are hopeful that work done so far will definitely reduce the high-level unemployment among the youth. Fishing and other farming activities will undoubtedly be utilized as good opportunities”. They used the medium to request for the construction of a bridge on the Kugzua No1, “…the road serves as the only Kugzua No1 and No2. Due to the construction of the Dam, the water has extended beyond human safety cross and this had led to the drop out of school by people who can no longer access the only school which serves communities and even beyond”. They appealed Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093